A Giant Rare Earth Mine Discovered in Kazakhstan

According to a Reuters report cited by Mining.com, on April 2, the Ministry of Industry and Construction of Kazakhstan announced that geologists in the country have discovered a giant rare earth deposit, with estimated resources exceeding 20 million mt, buried at a depth of 300 meters.

Currently, Kazakhstan is not listed in the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) directory of rare earth mineral countries. This deposit will make Kazakhstan one of the largest rare earth resource countries, following China and Brazil.

A statement released by the Ministry of Industry and Construction of Kazakhstan on Telegram stated that the rare earth mine, named ZK (Zhana Kazakhstan), is located approximately 420 kilometers (261 miles) from the capital and contains neodymium, cerium, lanthanum, and yttrium, with an average rare earth metal grade of 0.07%.

However, the ministry did not specify which company or when this rare earth mine will be developed.